. . .because Morris, Minnesota, is a pleasant, quiet, safe yet intellectually stimulating place on the west central Minnesota prairie, home of the U of M-Morris and a whole lot of interesting people. - morris mn

"You'll never get ahead if you don't take care of what you have." - Doris Waddell, RIP

A historic building on our U of M-Morris campus - morris mn

The multi-ethnic building was the original home of the music department at UMM. (B.W. photo)

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Thoughts with the passing of Christmas, 2016

Christmas has
come and gone for 2016. The pace of life slowed more than it normally
does. Christmas Eve Day was on Saturday and Christmas was on Sunday. A
holiday that falls on Sunday doesn't really count because it's a day
we'd get off anyway. Therefore, Monday takes over as the day off.

This
logic applied to Christmas Eve Day as well, Saturday, which is normally
a slow day for people. So that day didn't really count as a holiday
either, causing the slowdown to spill back to Friday.
I tried
visiting my tax preparation office at about 3:30 p.m. Friday, tugged on
the door and found it was locked. Then I saw the sign informing that
they closed at 3 p.m. Their official hours go until 4:30. I had gotten a
letter from them just recently that included a reminder of their
business hours. But they weren't about to abide by that on Friday, the
day before Christmas Eve Day. You see, Christmas Eve Day was Saturday, a
day they'd take off anyway.
The effect of having Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day over a weekend, was to spread out the "slow" time for the
holiday so much more. I wonder how much loss of productivity this
caused. I complimented our Morris Public Library director on being open
two hours on Saturday, Christmas Eve Day. Kudos to Anne Barber the
librarian. But I do miss Melissa Yauk, now a long ways away in Idaho. It doesn't seem right for Melissa to be gone.
By the time we got done with Monday, I had had it with the disrupted routine.
The late Glen Helberg
and I once discussed how holidays are hard on unemployed people.
Everyone else relishes the "reprieve." For us it's just four more days:
Friday through Monday. And I suppose the same scenario will present
itself for New Year's weekend. The Eve on Saturday, New Year's Day on
Sunday. Again, you can't treat Saturday and Sunday as real holiday days -
that would be unfair - so they ''stretch" things to Friday and Monday
again. More lost productivity I guess. More depressed times for us
non-working people who sort of languish.
Mom and I have no relatives
close by anymore. We try to go to church but our church has been in
flux for a long time because of instability in the pastor position. We
go to First Lutheran. I don't demand or expect some sort of
award-winning pastor. We have had great difficulty even trying to tread
water.
There was a time when I was still with the Morris newspaper, when I had Christmas CDs
that I played at the shop at night, usually when I was the only one
there. I might be there until 3 a.m. on a Tuesday night. Sometimes I'd
ride my bike home. I'm sure a memo got shared around the police
department about this weirdo at the paper who might be out and about
keeping burglar's hours.
I played Christmas-themed CDs
at the shop rather late. This might start right after Thanksgiving. It
seemed I felt a genuine Christmas spirit right after Thanksgiving, which
seemed natural and proper then. Some of these CDs were special compilations by Del Sarlette featuring music with trumpet players of note. I love Jack Sheldon with "A Jazz Musician's Christmas."
I
photographed the Parade of Lights through the first few years. There
was a time when I composed a "telegram from Santa" that appeared in the
Morris paper, complete with the word "stop" for periods. I photographed
Santa arriving in Donnelly.
These
days I'm surprised by how little motivation I have to trot out the
Christmas stuff. I try to resolve to do better the next year but it
never seems to happen. I examined my own mindset about this. I was sure I
had not developed an inclination to simply be bitter or skeptical about
anything. That's not my nature.
But in a way, I have just developed
a little bitterness based on what I would cite as outside forces. I
have become disappointed in Christianity. The media constantly report
about the "evangelicals" as if they define Christianity. I wish they'd
give us a meaningful definition. Through the presidential primary
campaign, we'd hear the drumbeat of the "evangelicals" who naturally are
on the right wing of the political spectrum. Listen to Mike Huckabee and that fits the template.
I
attend a church in a synod with the word "evangelical" in it. But the
media aren't thinking at all of me when trotting out "evangelicals."
They think of Huckabee. Now, why is this?
The
people loosely described as "evangelicals" are confrontational. They
have a chip on their shoulder regarding various issues. The media
absolutely feed off confrontation and controversy. So we hear about the
"evangelicals" and all their pitched battles. Makes good news copy.
Meanwhile
my Evangelical Lutheran Church of America looks bland and boring. That
is because we are gentle and inclusive people. We are temperate. The
"evangelicals" with
fire in their eyes look at us like we're misguided, like maybe we
aren't even Christians. They can't possibly know what's in our minds or
soul.
The ELCA
approach is like how Christianity was broadly understood in the Norman
Rockwell days. Those wonderful middle class Americans, bred by the GI
Bill and having learned
from true adversity, seemed passive as they headed up the church steps
on Sunday. My generation of the boomers decided to mock them to a
degree. Some of us mocked the ladies who prepared meals in the typical
Lutheran church basement. We decided a lot of those people were
hypocrites.
We began hearing about "born again" Christians who
professed to be superior. And then along came the Moral Majority which
really drew a line in the sand. The more hyper-motivated Christians got
the most attention, created the most buzz. And, most significantly,
according to many sociologists, the Moral Majority and their ilk slowly
started alienating a lot of younger people. Those younger people didn't
like the rigid, non-inclusive stance that Christianity began to take on,
at least in the popular consciousness.
God would have looked on
most disapprovingly. Church numbers have been heading down primarily
because of this alienation. I stayed away for about 35 years because I
was disappointed in the mainstream Christian denominations sitting on
their hands when they could have used their considerable influence to get
the boys out of Viet Nam. But I'm going again now in the year 2016, soon to be 2017. I'm a boring ELCA Lutheran.
We have a wonderful ELCA
pastor in town in Dell Sanderson. I can't even tell you the name of our
own interim pastor. The pastor's position at First Lutheran has been a
revolving door.
Allow me to synthesize the main point I'm making in
this post: the degree to which the so-called "evangelicals" have come to
define Christianity, has slowly gotten me discouraged at Christmas. I
figure that if Fox News and Donald Trump are going to be the leaders in
saying "merry Christmas," sticking a thumb in the eye of
non-Christians, I really don't want anything to do with Christmas and
maybe not even with Christianity.
Maybe the tide will turn. Maybe the gentle Norman Rockwell template will return.

Addendum: Ever notice that photo of the late Willie Martin with his arms held up in exuberance on the Willie's Parade of Lights float? I took that photo. If I'm fortunate enough to go to heaven, Willie and Del Holdgrafer will be the first two people I look up. Willie was amazing. You might say he was "super astronomical."

Summer scenes around Morris, 2012

Click on the image to view a Flickr album of photos taken around the Morris area in the warm weather months of 2012. This group includes photos taken at the 2012 UMM graduation. The image above taken near Perkins Lake was chosen for display in the "Minnesota Explorers" Flickr gallery which is linked to Rick Kupchella's "Bring Me the News" MN website. Also chosen was a field of sunflowers photo I took. I'm delighted to have such platforms available. - B.W.

Past MACA Tiger football photos:

City of Morris perspective:

Pin it on your chest!

Click on the above image to access our "City Data" page.

Morris Theater - morris mn

Click on this image to read thoughts/reflections on our Morris Theater, which is hanging on through changing times (as a co-op). There is a link at the bottom of this post to read part 2 as well. These posts were written in spring of 2010 so there are some dated references. Any Morris native can spin some fond recollections of enjoying cinema fare there with friends.

Enjoy some fall scenery around Morris:

Enjoy some winter scenes around Morris:

Sam Smith statue - morris mn

Click on the image to read about the Sam Smith "running rifleman" statue at Summit Cemetery. This post explores the life of Samuel Smith, early Morris resident. He fought for the Union cause in several major engagements in the Civil War. The statue is patterned after the statue for the First Minnesota Regiment at Gettysburg National Park. This post is the newest of three that I have written about Sam Smith. I consider it the most comprehensive about the man. The statue can be an overlooked landmark of Morris MN. Everyone here ought to be familiar with it. Smith raised a large family north of Morris.

The first building here

In 1871 the first building erected within the village of Morris was the headquarters of the chief engineer of the railroad, C.H.F. Morris. With the railroad came the people.

The WCROC overlook

A nice view to the west is afforded from the WCROC overlook. It's a relatively new feature of the WCROC grounds. Specifically it's part of the WCROC Horticulture Garden. Click on the image to reach the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) website. Les Lindor was instrumental in making the overlook a reality. He served the West Central Experiment Station (the entity predating the WCROC) as ag engineer.

Stay informed about Stevens County MN:

Morris' music mecca:

Words to live by

This original and popular sign can be seen from the highway between Morris and Cyrus. It's associated with the late Dan Helberg. There used to be a sculpture next to it but perhaps it was removed due to legal restrictions (i.e. as a distraction). The sign has the thumbs-up for which we are grateful. Let's always heed these words.

Some spring/summer photo scenes:

The bike trail system

Call it both a walking and bicycling trail. It snakes along both the east and west sides of our Pomme de Terre River. You can do a complete lap which reportedly measures 4 1/2 miles. It's a fitness challenge for those willing to push their bodies a little! This photo was taken on the east side of the river, heading toward Lake Crissey (a wide spot on the river). Spring is a great time to get out there.

Our area's history:

Remembering "ag school"

From the time it accepted its first class in 1910, until it graduated its final class of seniors in 1963, over 7,000 students attended the West Central School of Agriculture. The precursor of the U of M-Morris, it opened its doors to its first class of 103 students in October of 1910.

Wildflowers out by the river

Click on this image to reach the "Minnesota wildflowers" website. This photo was taken on the west side of our Pomme de Terre River.

Before the current library

In 1921 the Stevens County Memorial Armory was built on the 100 block of East 6th Street, the site which is now occupied by the Morris Public Library.1969 saw the opening of the new Morris Public Library on the site of the old armory, leaving vacant the Carnegie building. The Historical Society found a new home in the Carnegie building in 1970.

A suggested restaurant

About Me

Brian Williams is a former writer in the Morris "dead tree" media who plies his pastime in the wonderful, liberating new media today. He refuses to consider himself an alternative journalist because the web is now the mainstream. Newspapers are in rapid retreat and it won't be long before they will exist in vestigial form only. Print media will not die because as a media observer put it: "We will always have print media for as long as there's a 'print' button on your computer." A once weekly newspaper (like in Morris) won't cut it. It's not consistent with our instant gratification culture. But the media are blossoming more than ever thanks to all the new tools. It's an uplifting, "green" new universe. Key word suggestions: morris mn - hancock mn - donnelly mn - cyrus mn - chokio mn - alberta mn - 56267 - stevens county - morris theater mn - morris area tigers - hancock owls.

Buy a car:

Pomme de Terre or Perkins?

Most maps identify it as "Perkins Lake" but it's known as Pomme de Terre to many local residents. The sign at the entry to the lake access uses the Pomme de Terre term, so that seems legitimate. This lake is part of a chain that represent wide spots on the Pomme de Terre River. Pomme de Terre Lake is useful for recreation and fishing, plus there are many fine residences along the shoreline. The chain is located several miles north of Morris.

A Destiny Driver. . .

"I Love Morris" is consistent with one of the "destiny drivers" as articulated by Stevens Forward! (named for Stevens County): "By 2010 we will enhance our interconnectedness by better utilizing the technology infrastructure to create a virtual community." (2010 is already here but this is always a "work in progress!")

We're the "Storm" in hockey

Click on this image to reach the official website of the Morris Benson Area "Storm" hockey program. Of course it's "MBA" for short. In Morris these teams play at the Lee Community Center, next to the fairgrounds.

B.W.'s country music memories, 1996-97:

Your Congressman:

Maintain perspective:

Main street of Morris mn

Atlantic Avenue is the main street of Morris and it's typically abuzz. Click on the above image to reach the Stevens County Economic Improvement Commission website.

Gager's Station

The first stopping place in Stevens County was Gager's Station, considered by some historians to be one of the more important stopping plces on the Wadsworth Trail. The station was nestled among the trees near Wintermute Lake.

VIDEO CLIPS

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The Eagles huddle

Blue is the color of the Morris amateur baseball team which goes by the nickname "Eagles." They're pictured about to break a pre-game huddle at their home: Chizek Field, named for the late Don Chizek who coached the Morris High Tigers for many years. The Tigers now have their own veteran coach in Lyle Rambow. Lyle had a successful playing career with the Eagles.

RIP jazz band leaders:

Best dog you could own:

"Dog is my co-pilot":

Superb early-morning TV:

Wind turbines - morris mn

There are two grand wind turbines such as this one on the eastern edge of Morris. It appears glistening white in this photo but they often are dark, silhouetted against the bright sky. A photographer never tires of them. They have become sustainable symbols of the community.

A trail of long ago here

The Wadsworth Trail was established by the U.S. Government in 1864 to transport supplies from St. Cloud to Fort Wadsworth, west of present day Sisseton, South Dakota.

No longer just a comedian:

She's upstaging Jim Klobuchar now:

Visit our McDonald's

It's a hotspot for dependable fast food and, just as important, socializing: our McDonald's Restaurant on the north end of Atlantic Avenue.

Our park in west Morris

Wells Park, located near Pacific Avenue and West 11th Street, was established in 1916 on land donated to the city by Henry Wells (a successful businessman and land investor) and Margaret Hulburd. Additional land was donated in 1935 by the Wells Investment Company, and in 1980 by Grace Zamerow.